There’s a story that’s stuck with me for years. Maybe you’ve seen the video.
A blind man sits on the street with a sign that says, “I’m blind, please help.” Most people walk past him, barely noticing. Then, a woman stops, picks up his sign, and writes something new.
Suddenly, people start giving.
His bowl fills up.
When she returns, he asks, “What did you do?”
She smiles and says, “I just changed your words.”
Her new message? “It’s a beautiful day, and I can’t see it.”
Same reality. Different words. And with that small shift, the world around him responds in a whole new way.
This isn’t just a touching story. It’s a powerful truth about perception, language, and meaning.
How Words Shape Meaning
Words don’t just describe our reality; they create it.
If I say “Yoga,” what comes to your mind?
For some, it’s stretching and fitness.For others, it’s meditation and breathwork.To some, it’s a way to heal trauma.To monks, it’s the path to self-realization.
Which one is true? All of them.
Like the Sun, which is called different names—Surya in Sanskrit, Ravi in Hindi, Helios in Greek, Sol in Latin—Yoga, too, is one but perceived in many ways.
Krishna has hundreds of names.To some, he is Gopal, the playful cowherd.To others, he is Parthasarathi, the charioteer of the Bhagavad Gita.To many, he is Govinda, the protector, or Madhava, the divine consciousness.
Shiva is known as:
Nataraja, the cosmic dancer,
Mahadev, the great god,
Neelkanth, the one who swallowed poison to save the world.
Same essence. Different interpretations.
The Words We Attach Meaning To
I’ve seen how words shape meaning not just in Yoga, but in my own life.
For years, I unknowingly limited myself with a single word: BUT.
I’d say things like:
"I want to grow my business, but I don’t want to lose my freedom."
"I want to be in a committed relationship, but I don’t want to lose my independence."
That tiny word BUT was keeping me stuck. It forced me into an either/or mindset—as if I had to choose one over the other.
Then one day, a mentor pointed out something so simple, yet so profound:
"What if you replace 'BUT' with 'AND'?"
So I tried it.
"I want to grow my business, AND I can do it in a way that allows me freedom."
"I want to be in a committed relationship, AND I can still maintain my independence."
Suddenly, what felt like a conflict turned into a possibility.
Nothing changed… except the words I used. And yet, that small shift changed everything.
Yoga and the Lens of Perception
When someone asks, “What is Yoga?” I pause.
Not because I don’t know the answer, but because the answer depends on who is asking.
To a beginner, I might say,"Yoga is a way to connect your body, breath, and mind—helping you feel stronger, healthier, and more at peace."
To a seasoned practitioner,"Yoga is the science of self-realization, the journey inward."
To a philosopher,"Yoga is the dissolution of ego, the merging of the self into the infinite."
None of these are wrong. They’re just different ways of describing the same truth—in a way the listener can understand.
The Blind Men and the Elephant
This reminds me of an old story from India.
A group of blind men come across an elephant for the first time. Each man reaches out and touches a different part of the animal.
One touches the trunk and says, “An elephant is like a thick snake.”Another feels its leg and says, “No, an elephant is like a tree trunk.”The next one touches its ear and insists, “You’re both wrong. An elephant is like a large fan.”
Each of them is right in their experience. But none of them can see the whole elephant.
This is how we often experience truth. We grasp pieces of it based on our own perception, but the whole picture is always greater than what we can describe.
The Limitations of Words
Imagine trying to describe the taste of mango to someone who has never eaten one.You could use words like sweet, juicy, tropical, citrusy—but would that truly let them experience it?
The only way for them to know what a mango really tastes like is to eat one.
Yoga is the same way.
It’s not something you fully understand through words—it’s something you feel, embody, and experience.
Rewriting Your Story
If a few changed words on a sign can transform how people respond to a blind man, imagine what happens when we change the words we use to describe ourselves
.
Instead of "I'm not good at this," what if you say, "I'm learning, and every step counts."Instead of "I'm stuck," what if you say, "I'm at the edge of something new."Instead of "I'm lost," what if you say, "I'm exploring."
Yoga isn’t just about touching your toes. It’s about rewriting the story you tell yourself—until you see yourself as the vast, limitless being you truly are.
So maybe the best answer to “What is Yoga?” isn’t an explanation at all.
Maybe the best answer is:"Come to class. Breathe. Move. Feel. And then… tell me what Yoga means to you."
Because some things aren’t meant to be understood through words, but through experience.
What’s One Word You Want to Change?
We all have words we hold onto—about ourselves, about life, about what’s possible.
If you could rewrite one word today, what would it
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